An alternate version of the song utilizing lyrics from the original demo was later featured in The Return of Jafar, performed by Brian Hannan. This version was also used as the main titles theme for the Aladdin television series.

Contents

Lyrics

Aladdin version

Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway placeWhere the caravan camels roamWhere it's flat and immense and the heat is intense. (Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face)It's barbaric, but hey, it's homeWhen the wind's from the eastAnd the sun's from the westAnd the sand in the glass is rightCome on downStop on byHop a carpet and flyTo another Arabian night

Arabian Nights like Arabian daysMore often than notAre hotter than hotIn a lot of good ways

Arabian Nights 'neath Arabian moonsA fool off his guardCould fall and fall hardOut there on the dunes

The Return of Jafar and TV series version

Follow me to a place where incredible feats are routine every hour or soWhere enchantment runs rampantYes wild in the streetsOpen Sesame, here we go!

Arabian NightsLike Arabian DaysThey tease and exciteTake off and take flightThey shock and amaze

Arabian NightsLike Arabian DaysMore often than notAre hotter than hotIn a lot of good ways

Pack your shield, Pack your swordYou won't ever get boredThough get beaten or gored, you mightCome on downStop on byHop a carpet and flyTo another Arabian NightArabian Night!

Deleted Reprises

Initially a longer composition, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken 1990 score treatment incorporated several reprises sung by The Genie of the Ring, who served as the story's narrator in the original treatment The first reprise introduces The Wicked Wazir (later to be named Jafar) as the story's main antagonist. The second is sung as Wazir takes Aladdin to The Cave of Wonders posing as his uncle. The third plays as someone - presumably Aladdin - is locked in the dungeon, awaiting death. For the fourth and final reprise, The Genie of the Ring bids the audience farewell; this reprise was sung by The Peddler at the end of King of Thieves.

Reprise 1

In the palace, right here, lived The Wicked Wazir
The adviser to Sultan Hamed
And this part-time magician, this amateur seer
Wished his boss, the good Sultan, dead
He was charming and slick
But unspeakably sick
This despicable parasite
What a villain, boo hiss!
Further proof, dears, that this
Is another Arabian night.

Reprise 2

A contemptible skunk
Was this counterfeit "Unc"
But Aladdin he led, alas
On a journey insane
Through forbidden terrain
To a desolate mountain pass
And the trip that they had
Was so bad for our lad
That he gradually got uptight
And suspected - guess what?
This was possibly not
Just another Arabian night.

Reprise 3

What a room, what a stink
This is doom, don't you think?
As the hours of the night crawl past
You've got rats in your cell
But you'll live with the smell
Till the dawn, when you'll breathe your last
Every tick of the clock
Says get set for the block
And the shock of your awful plight
You should sleep, but you don't
Cause you know that you won't
See another Arabian night.

Reprise 4

So, it goes, short and sweet
Now the live down the street
Doing just what they all do best
Happy end to the tale
And tomorrow's a sale
So I'd better go home and rest
Here's a kiss and a hug
Sure you don't need a rug?
I assure you the price is right
Well, salaam, worthy friend
Come back soon, that's the end
Till another Arabian night!

Trivia

When the film was first released to cinemas, the line, "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense" was originally, "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face". Due to the line being offensive, it was changed shortly after being released.

In the Broadway musical, the song is sung by Genie instead of the Peddler.